


Memories of Hope

by TellThemNaegi



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Canon Compliant, Class 78 Communal Life, Coping, Humor, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Relationships, Pre-Canon, Slice of Life, The Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:35:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26739712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TellThemNaegi/pseuds/TellThemNaegi
Summary: Before reality TV. Before the virtual islands, the class trials and that ursine menace, class 78 planned to spend the rest of their lives inside Hope's Peak Academy. For one year they were surrounded by uncertainty, anxiety and the hope that time would see them through. Until then . . . what were sixteen kids and a headmaster/dad supposed to do on lockdown anyway?---LATEST CHAPTERBirthday boy teaches Chihiro the wonders of gaming.
Relationships: Fujisaki Chihiro & Naegi Makoto, Ishimaru Kiyotaka & Naegi Makoto, Kuwata Leon & Naegi Makoto, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31





	1. Kiyotaka Ishimaru Wants a Consultation

“A new day. A new life.” Naegi sits on his bed. His hands press back on the sheets while his legs dangle in the air, just short of touching his spotless carpet.

“It’s missing something.” He examines his dorm. The interior quality was a sight to behold, even if the content on his end was bare. He couldn’t add much besides spare clothes and belongings he’d already stored in Hope’s Peak. The room felt more like a reservation at a 5-star hotel than a place to call his own.

“There’ll be plenty of time to change that.” He said ruefully.

A knock comes crashing on his door. Too harsh to have been any of the girls, unless Asahina was restless from being stuck in-doors, again. “I’m coming.”

“Good Morning, Naegi-kun! I trust you slept well.” Said the ever-diligent Ishimaru.

“Is it morning? I can’t tell anymore.”

“It _is.”_ The super high school level hall-monitor stressed. His expression a mix of disapproval and concern. “Is your sleeping cycle not coordinated properly?”

Naegi shakes his head. “It’s fine. Did you need something?”

Ishimaru coughed into his hand. “Y-Yes. If you have the time, I would appreciate assistance on patrols.”

Chores didn’t sound like Naegi’s idea of a good time…but time was all he had. Far too much of it.

"Sure. I’ll be right out.”

* * *

He was expecting a monotonous start to his morning, not bacon and eggs. “With all this food waiting around, I almost think you knew I’d be tagging along.”

“Certainly, there was no chance you’d ever refuse a request.” Ishimaru sat with him in the otherwise empty cafeteria. “That was a joke. I made enough for everyone. Sadly, I doubt the others would be awake this early.”

The clock all too quickly became the object of attention. 5:00 AM. Naegi hadn’t gotten much sleep, and neither had his friend, evidently. “You might catch Asahina or Ogami around this time.”

“Perhaps . . .”

Ishimaru wasn’t the most comfortable with the girls, even after all this time. “I’m here and I’m hungry. So that’s that.” He thanked Ishimaru with his words and stomach.

“A healthy breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as the saying goes.” Ishimaru looked down to his food, scrambled eggs, with a side of bacon and toast. Naegi was already stuffing his face before questioning why Ishimaru showed reservations to his own cooking.

“Afterwards, we can search the first floor. There were more than a few items I find ‘unsavory.’”

“Like?” Naegi asked with his mouth full.

“Knives.” He said.

He choked the portion down. “We kind of _need_ those?”

“Regrettably, they are concerning in this climate. I have done routine checkups every morning and before curfew to make sure they are all accounted for.”

“Who would _take_ them to begin with?”

“Nobody. I’m sure of that. It’s for my peace of mind.”

Fair enough and equally worrisome. “Anything else?”

“That gold-encrusted sword for one. Fake it may be, it’s not a symbol we need!”

“I’ve gotten my clothes ruined by it more than once so no love loss there. Just. . .” His eyes ran up and down Ishimaru’s white uniform. “Be careful.”

* * *

Ishimaru taps his feet impatiently, scowling in disapproval at the wall of the second floor change rooms. “Is this _really_ necessary?” Moreso what was on the wall. A photo of a famous ~~Noriko~~ super model that had guys drooling.

“Lewd, debaucherous, crude, and in a change room for developing boys. We must rid ourselves of this icon of temptation!”

“It’s not that big of a deal!” Naegi flung himself between Ishimaru and the wall to protect the ~~goods~~ peace. Kuwata and Owada, as frequent visitors, would probably have few words for Ishimaru if they found out. And besides . . . Noriko-chan did nothing wrong! “It’s a part of the atmosphere.”

Ishimaru curved his brow deeply. “ _This_ serves a _purpose_?”

“Not exactly? It’s more of a _guy_ thing. Some of us go through that tender adolescent stage.” Naegi fumbled through his words. “It’s normal, and I think ‘normal’ is what we need right now.”

Yeah that sounded right. Probably.

“I am not sure I agree, but I do understand the logic.” Ishimaru struggles with himself, and finally sighed in defeat. “A different viewpoint is helpful indeed.”

“Huh. I thought you’d fight it a bit more.”

“I lack considerable experience. Addressing separate opinions is necessary to learn about oneself and improve.”

Naegi smiles. Guess Ishimaru really _didn’t_ pick a ‘yes-man’ to go along with him.

“By the way, does this imply you have _similar_ posters in your room?” Ishimaru inquired.

“I’m not fallin’ for that one.”

* * *

"I can’t think of how this could be used.” Ishimaru studies one of the hammers in the art room. They’d stopped by on the third floor to clean up the place.

“It’s . . . not like we’re the ones who brought it in! This room would have . . . been used by the SHSL artists or talents like that!” Come on, Mr. hammer. Lift already, please!

“Indeed. Getting rid of them now would be inappropriate.” Ishimaru swipes the mallet and easily hangs it back on the rack. “Letting them rust is no better.” Red eyes settle on the white canvas in the center of the room.

Oh no.

“Naegi-kun, how good are you at crafts and paintings?” He voices the dreaded question.

“I suck. Like you don’t want to see how bad.”

“Nonsense. Artistic talents can be molded with practice and effort.”

It was too late to stop him. Within seconds Naegi’d taken up a chair with the canvas in front and Ishimaru saluting on the other side. Stray hands gripped the pencil and scribbled across the white surface.

(Ishimaru’s extended arm quakes by the 30-minute mark)

“This is . . . hmm.” Naegi’s eyes dart to the side while Ishimaru studies the finished product. “Incredible!”

The lucky student gapes. “What!?” Sure, he gave it his all, but he was terrible. All his old classmates laughed in art class. Technically so was Ishimaru, but the difference was endearment.

The hall-monitor nods vigorously and claps his hand on Naegi’s shoulder. “This drawing captures your limitless potential, Naegi-kun. You cannot _possibly_ stay at this level with practice.”

“T-Thank you(?).”

What was this soul-crushing sense of defeat?!

* * *

“It feels weird coming in here.” Naegi was taken by the monitors displaying the live-footage captured by the many surveillance cameras scattered across the school.

“Normally you wouldn’t be allowed, but as my assistant, it would be rude to leave you outside.” Ishimaru said.

“I wish headmaster Kirigiri had as much faith in me.” Only Ishimaru, Fujisaki and Kirigiri had access to the data-processing room.

“With great power comes great responsibility. I fear some of our associates would _misuse_ the privilege.”

The change rooms and bath were visible on the monitors. Kuwata, Yamada and Hagakure weren’t allowed within 15 meters from the door. “It gives me the creeps knowing I might be watched through those lenses.”

“I share those sentiments however to preserve whatever order we can, we must keep watch over each other.” 

Ishimaru’s exclamation rings off-tempo in Naegi’s ears. “Huh?” Without getting the chance to voice his concern, the raven-haired boy gasped sharply.

Naegi traced his horror to the monitor - Oh, Asahina’s jogging with Ogami around the first floor.

“How many times must I tell them not to run in the halls? Come, Naegi!” Ishimaru dashed out of the room, leaving the puzzled luckster trailing behind.

The live feed carries on regardless. Hair that flows like a river and tinged in strawberry-blonde comes into focus. She lifts her head to the camera, with a razor-sharp grin at odds with her model-like beauty.

* * *

11:43 AM. The morning steadily gives way during the last stages of patrol. The lower floors were already active with teens doing whatever they could to stay entertained and adjust to their new life in these walls.

Naegi and Ishimaru silently meditate in the fifth floor’s dojo. All Ishimaru’s idea, of course! The exercises were apparently essential to their everyday mental health.

“My legs are falling asleep.” The brunette mutters lowly. He breaks the mindfulness exercise, carefully opening his left eye. He surprisingly finds Ishimaru broke first, steely gazing in front.

The dojo had the most beautiful scenery in the academy. That or the garden, but that man-eating flower put a damper on trying to keep calm while there.

“What’s on your mind? He and Ishimaru were friends, but the moral compass and Owada share a close bond that he can’t define. The gang leader wouldn’t have refused Ishimaru’s offer to patrol with him.

“Have you been to the classroom on this floor?” Ishimaru asked.

“No.” He knew what was behind those forbidden doors, and that he would never set foot in there.

“I have. It is hard to ignore what is just next door.” Naegi suppresses a shudder at Ishimaru’s reminder of the cruel reality. “But when that tragedy happened, we were a few floors down and did not notice. Did not help. And here we are.”

“None of that’s our fault.”

“Certainly not, but our responsibility for each other and ourselves, as fellow classmates and human beings does not change.” Ishimaru declared at an alarmingly level tone. For him at least. “A responsibility that I fear doesn’t exist outside. _Order_ doesn’t exist outside.” 

“and you wanted to talk to me about this?”

“You’ve seen right through me.” Ishimaru’s shoulders slump. “Bro wouldn’t understand. He lives _defying_ the rules, but I adore them. They guide us towards the righteous path. So why did all this happen? Was I wrong?”

So that’s what’s bugging him. To be fair, it’d be strange if they accepted the change in circumstances so easily. “I’m flattered you sought me out, but I don’t have an answer for any of that. It feels like just the other day when we I was pulling an all-nighter studying for a test.”

“That’s a horribly inefficient way to study. Next time, I will personally rectify your bad habits!”

Give me a break! “What I mean is that I don’t get how things got so wacky either. It’s not like a quiz. This is too big for kids like us to solve or take responsibility for. Let the adults figure out how to save the world.”

Ishimaru didn’t relent this time. “I cannot accept that way of thinking. That complacence brought us here.”

“Maybe, but over-anxiety can be even worse. Instead, we should focus on what we can do.”

“That is?”

“Go on living.” For now, he couldn’t see how they could do anything else while they were trapped in this school while the rest of the world – their friends and families – could be anywhere. If he could charge right to the source of the tragedy and stop it, he would but that's not realistic. “If we believe things will go back to normal, we have to act like it. If we start doubting ourselves and each other, we’ll make mistakes. And miss opportunities that we could’ve seen just from taking a step back.”

“Without the courage to step forward, knowing of alternatives is fruitless.”

"I . . ." He pauses, trying not to argue _against_ that honestly sound logic. “We're talking over ourselves here. I'm not saying it's right to sit and do nothing. Just remember where we are, who we’re with, things we can and **shouldn't** do, okay?”

Ishimaru nods. "This has been an illuminating discussion."

"Happy to help. Though I'm sure others like Kirigiri would have done a better job."

"Why would I have gone to the headmaster before you? That would be putting the cart before the horse."

"What? N-no, I meant our classmate Kirigiri-san . . . Wait you planned on confronting the headmaster?"

"Of course. However, I could not arrange my thoughts before now!"

The luckster carefully pieces the puzzle together. All of this . . . was so Ishimaru could get a test run before speaking with Headmaster Kirigiri. And for some reason, he couldn't come out and say that at the beginning.

“Can I get up now?”

“We have 14 minutes to go!”

_I should have stayed in bed._


	2. Leon Kuwata Wants A Confession

“So . . . you ready?” Even the ever adventurous Kuwata can’t stay calm in _this_ situation.

Still faring a lot better than I am. “G-Give me a bit.” Geez, it's hot in here.

“Seriously? You’ve never done anything like this before?”

“Not with a _guy_!”

“Hey, it’s waaaay weirder for me. Just,” Kuwata gulps “ease into it already.”

“There’s _nothing_ easy about this.”

“Bro, we’ve gotta do this before we can take the next step. And by we, I mean you!”

That’s enough! “No, I’m not doing it. No matter how hard I think about it, this doesn’t make sense!” His exaggerated movements make waves and splashes in the bath. “ _Why do I have to confess to you!?_ ”

On the other side of the bath, Kuwata replies “Because you’re the only one I know that would.”

“What about-”

“Owada’s always hanging out with Fujisaki and I’m _not_ looking forward to getting punched in the face.” It was an appealing thought right about now. “Listen. We’re two handsome guys – _extremely_ good-looking in my case – who for some reason, don’t have girlfriends. Now why is that?”

“I-I dunno . . .” Naegi shriveled back into the water.

“I do.” Kuwata rests his arms over edges. “You’re too dense to pick on cues and too chicken to ask the girls out.”

He took many strong offenses to that but voiced none. “What about you?”

“They’re playing hard to get. Girls love that stuff!”

Where does that confidence come from?

“But like, _these_ girls play it on hard mode so I gotta maneuver around that. That’s where I figure we can help each other practice.” The redhead snaps his fingers. “Confess to me.”

“WHY!?”

“Just trust me on this.” Kuwata gave him a look of uncharacteristic determination. He was serious about this . . . and perfectly safe from several meters away. They had both decided on that arrangement for the sake of their sanity.

Naegi took a long, deep breaths and squeaked. “Go out with me.”

“Why?”

“H-Huh!?” The red-faced lucky student snaps.

Kuwata shakes his head exasperatedly. “If you’re asking me out, you gotta lay out my good points. What do you _like_ about me?”

Naegi shudders. “You’ve . . . got a lot of confidence, and you’re very . . . athletic.”

The baseball star smacks his forehead.“Dude, _what are you doing_? I’m a _chick_ , remember!?”

“What am I supposed to say?” Now the steam from the hot water really was getting to him.

“Ugh. Ok new plan. Just . . . pretend I’m Hina, then compliment me.”

Naegi closes his eyes. Instead of the rude jock in front of him, he was bathing with - a “bubbly and sporty” along with many other things - Asahina.

“There we go, Chicks _dig_ compliments but you gotta make the relevant ones or you’ll just be a brown-nosing wimp.” Kuwata strokes his goatee. “Then again, I totally get your mistake. I am one helluva snack.” You said that already. “No wonder you fell head over heels for me. But . . . why do I gotta go out with you again?”

Naegi blinks thrice. “Pardon me?”

“What are _your_ qualities?”

Ah, they’re still in character. “Well, um I . . . can’t really say. I’m pretty ave-“

“Stop!” Kuwata silences him with a raised hand. “That. _That_ right there is what we need to work on. Are you _trying_ to sabotage yourself? Even Owada screaming in the girl’s face – _and I have seen that before, let me add_ – doesn’t break the deal _that_ hard. At least weirdos like Fukawa can be _into_ that.”

“I can’t think of anything okay!” Naegi flushes.

“You’re nice, but like actually nice enough to go out of your way for people, not just be a doormat. And when your mind’s set, you’re one stubborn bastard. And I guess you’re kinda cute.”

“Kuwata-kun . . ." The edge of the water was is nowhere near far enough.

“I’m in character here, dude. Remember!?” This was exhausting for them both. “Anyway, so like. Work on that ego. Ladies love it as much as they're full of it.”

“That’s a bit much. Our friends are pretty reasonable.”

“Name one.”

“Maizono-san.”

Kuwata sighs dreamily. “She’s like a 1 -in-a million perfect girl. And like . . .you never know what goes on in closed doors.”

“I guess Enoshima’s out.”

Kuwata’s mood turns a straight 180. “She and Celes need to tone it down like 10 notches, actually. Looks can only get you so far when your personality’s like . . . _that_.”

“Ogami-san.”

“You would say that. There ain’t enough meat on your bones for her to ask you to spar with, then kick your ass with a big ol’ smile on her face. Ogre’s competitive, bro.” He sounds like he relived a traumatic experience.

“Fukawa-san.”

“Yeah sure, not much of an ego on that one. It almost makes you _wonder if it all went somewhere . . . or y’know, into **someone**_.”

“Fair point.” No need for the sarcasm. “Kirigiri.”

Kuwata snorted. “When the school year started, I asked how to solve a riddle for me, and you know what she did. Gave me the biggest smug of life and walked away. You’re like the only one who doesn’t see that.”

“I got nothing then.”

“There ya go. Now take it from the top.”

Putting aside whether he’d really take relationship advice from Kuwata, there didn’t seem a way out of this than from the front. “Please go out with me.”

“Again.”

“Please go out with me!”

“Why me?”

“I’m really into sporty girls, and you’re the best there is.”

“Damn straight, but why’re you worth my time?”

“I . . .ugh! This is too embarrassing. I can’t say that!”

“Repeat after me.” Kuwata held out a finger. “You’re smart.”

“I’m smart.”

“You’re active.”

“I’m active.”

“You’re attractive

“I’m attractive.”

“You’re gonna be Leon Kuwata’s wingman, no ifs and or buts.”

“I’m gonna be your wingman! No ifs- hey what!?”

“Sweet.” Kuwata triumphantly pumps his fist.

“I never consented-”

“Rejected.”

“I’m not doing it.”

“No, I meant I don’t want to go out with you.”

“. . . O-oh.” Even if they were just pretending, that stung a bit.

“Naeggs, the hell are you stopping for?” Kuwata barks.

“You rejected me.”

“That doesn’t mean you give up. You gotta stand your ground!”

“I’m not that desperate.” Definitely not right now.

“You say that now, but when the time comes and it’s a chick you really like, that tune’s gonna change.” Kuwata continues. “The trick is to not come off as desperate. Even if she’s blowing you off, you gotta keep cool.”

That . . . is almost reasonably sound. “Is there something about me you don’t like?”

Kuwata’s voice rose a few pitches. “The truth is, I’m already interested in somebody else. His name is Leon. He’s the star of the baseball team and so dreamy~”

For a moment. For one brief moment, Naegi sympathized with the same dark, destructive emotion Togami expressed towards Fukawa every waking moment: Pure, abject, unfiltered contempt.

He’s getting this over with. “Even if you feel that way now, my feelings aren’t going away that easily. I’m not going to give up. I’ll show you I’m a way better guy than Kuwata.”

Kuwata wolf whistles. "Damn, it almost sounded like you meant that."

Almost. Sure. 

“That’s what I want to see. It’s like totally impossible for you, but there’s that passion, dude.”

Naegi deadpans. “Thanks.”

“But maaaan, I learned a lot.” Kuwata starts to get out of the bath. “Being a girl is intoxicating. Think about all that power you have over an innocent boy pouring his heart out. It’s downright criminal.”

“You said it. I actually got confessed to before.” Naegi recalls some fairly recent memories. “But I had a feeling it was based on a dare. She looked so nervous, so I turned her down.”

“You didn’t know though right? Sounds like a waste.” Unless she wasn’t cute, were recognizable undertones.

“It wasn’t that. It’s just . . . I had my eye on someone else.”

“Someone I know?” The nosy athlete leans forward with intrigue.

“Not telling.” Naegi wraps a bath towel over his hips. “I’m pruning over here too.”

“. . . Meh, I’ll get it out of you later.”

"My lips are sealed.” Naegi said. “And uh . . . what happened here is never leaving this room.”

"My bad. That was a little weird huh?"

More than a little. I kinda want to pretend it never happened. "Don't get me wrong. I didn't take you for the type to even joke about that sort of thing."

"What, can't be a little flamboyant because I'm a ladies man? Well you're right, you wouldn't catch me dead role-playing a confession out _there,_ but even if you were wrong, it's annoying that people expect that without even knowing me."

Naegi nervously scratches his cheek. "Ah. It's like how you think about baseball."

Kuwata shrugs haphazardly. "Kinda, but whatever. It doesn't matter anymore now that it's just us in here."

"We won't be in here forever. . ."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, I've got a feeling things'll start changing. All those dos and donts we learned growing up won't matter. Two guys like Ishimaru and Owada getting hitched for real might look like _nothing_. Heck, maybe Ikusaba and Enoshima'll even get married. Not like there's any law here _against_ family eloping in the future."

"You're starting to scare me." Naegi cut Kuwata off when it felt like his rant could have kept going. "Are you okay?"

"Eh, don't mind me. Just end of the world jitters." He rubs the back of his neck. An ordinary gesture at odds with worrying cynicism.

The atmosphere was girl-running-at-you-with-a-knife-tense until, "Want to go play games?" The shift in topic jarring, but welcome nonetheless.

. . .

"Sure. I'll invite some of the others too, if you don't mind." Naegi replies.

"The more the merrier."


	3. Chihiro Fujisaki Levels Up

There was a knock, then silence.

Naegi suppresses his excitement while standing outside Fujisaki’s room. He rereads the letter that someone slipped inside his room last night – a request for a secret meetup.

The door creaks open and a head of wavy chestnut hair pops out.

“You called?” Naegi smiles.

“Come on in.” Fujisaki happily welcomes him inside.

Naegi immediately compares their rooms on the walk in. The lights were brighter. It was anyone’s guess whether that meant Fujisaki tweaks them or doesn’t flip the switch often. In either case, the flash of the computer screens lit up the room just fine by themselves.

“Whew.” Naegi stretches his collar. Without a window in sight, the running PCs heated up the room a bit too much for a guy in so many layers. “The note sounded important, so what’s the emergency?”

“I need your help with a little planning . . .” Fujisaki trails off. “I think everyone’s having a hard time adjusting. I thought I’d do my part and keep us entertained.”

“Ah.” Naegi’s shoulders sagged almost imperceptibly. He should have guessed the reason was technical stuff. It wasn’t his area of expertise, but he could see where Fujisaki got the idea. They had an A/V room with a bunch of old movies lying around, and even a recreation room upstairs. Both would wear out their welcome sooner rather than later.

“I’m in. What do you have in mind?” Those words made Fujisaki’s day.

“Sit down and I’ll go over the plan.” The programmer gestures to the edge of the bed. The wide computer desk was unusually close to it. Naegi peaks behind the furniture to see the wire extending to the back of the room.

“Did you move this?”

“Yeah. I-I’ve gotten really strong, you know.” Fujisaki blusters.

Strength was one thing, but the absence of trail marks on the floor tells a different story.

“Point taken.” Fujisaki has no reason to lie about that. Maybe all his training with Owada was paying off.

The luckster perches himself at the edge of the bed.

“What kind of entertainment are you thinking of?”

Fujisaki held out two game controllers. “I want to make the ultimate game.”

“You’re getting me excited but that doesn’t narrow it down.” 

Fujisaki fumbles out an explanation. “We might be in here for weeks, maybe months . . . or even longer. Worst-case scenario, I wanted to develop a game that everyone can enjoy for a long time.”

It sounds like a neat cure for boredom. Only Naegi saw one problem with that. “A lot of games only have like a week’s worth of content.”

“That’s why I’ll update it routinely. It’ll have everything for everyone - sports, fighting, racing, karaoke, card games, you name it.” Fujisaki has an answer for everything. Maybe it’s expected the talented operate on a different level from guys like him. “Only I hit a snag in development.”

“Which is?” Naegi leads.

Ashamed, Fujisaki replied. “I haven’t played many video games.”

. . .

“ _That’s_ where I come in? You could have asked Kuwata or Yamada, couldn’t you?” Naegi scratches his cheek.

“No!” Fujisaki panics, then corrects himself. “They have their own biases. I need a blank slate who could like anything.”

Naegi recoils like he’d been stabbed through his chest.

“Are you okay!?”

“I’m fine, it felt like I was with Togami for a second there.” He hopes it was a slip of the tongue and Fujisaki wasn’t picking up bad manners. “If we’re doing this, I’d think we should start with a party game. Something most of us can enjoy.”

“We can choose from a list Alter ego ripped off the internet.”

Was pirating video games the best use of state-of-the-art technology? Probably not, but the world had better things to worry about than a genius’ curiosity. The way Fujisaki’s eyes lit up at the title screen made him look younger and made Naegi feel bolder than he knew himself to be. It wasn’t every day that he could ever take a senior position so he better make the most of it!

Naegi expresses amusement when the programmer selected the muscular karate master as his first player character. For a similar play style, he matches Fujisaki’s pick with his villainous counterpart. It was a no-brainer that the popular fighter crossover that came out last year would appeal to Fujisaki’s view of masculinity.

He sneaks glances at Fujisaki fumbling with the controls. “You can’t button mash all game.” Well, he technically could, if he wanted to keep losing.

“Got it!” Fujisaki says with the sincerity of a cadet. “Is there a manual somewhere?”

“Press pause.” Naegi shows him the controls and move sets exclusive to his choice of character. Fujisaki’s gaze shifted back and forth between his gamepad and the screen.

In the meantime, “Mind if I take my jacket off? It’s pretty hot.”

“Go ahead. Leave them wherever you want.”

Two layers of clothing were thrown back to the bed. Naegi breathed easier with the weight lifted off him. “Much better.”

Fujisaki blinks, and swallows. “It’s a little strange to see you in just a shirt. Not counting PE, I mean.”

“I’m not that bad, am I?” Casual. Parka and sweater. School casual. Blazer and sweater. Winter. Full jackets. “Huh. Maybe I should start dressing up less.”

“Why haven’t you done that _already_? The heater’s on most of the day.”

That was a difficult question. If Naegi had an answer, “I like to think it give me a little personality.”

Fujisaki tilts his head. “I don’t get it.”

“Ah, well-” Naegi pauses, then continues. “Actually, I just remembered I skipped breakfast. Mind if we pause to get something to eat from the cafeteria?”

“Got you covered.” Fujisaki said quickly. He ran over (really) to the drawer and pulled out an assortment of snacks. Each Naegi recognized from the kitchen. One particular pastry had been marked by their resident swimmer.

“You were prepared.” He remarks. None of their dorms had a fridge, therefore Fujisaki must have picked those out recently.

~~He still checked the expiry date.~~

While Naegi was a step shy of mewling at the treats, Fujisaki had gone back to ‘studying’. Only breaking concentration to stare at the clock. He repeats the action thrice over the following hours.

“I did it!” Fujisaki triumphantly raised his hands in the air.

“I . . . was really trying this time.” Naegi mumbles, astounded at the pace Fujisaki learns. “Could you hold back a little?”

“O-Oh. It’s not much fun if I win all the rounds, huh?” Fujisaki’s consideration sting even more than his total domination of the field.

“Depends on who you ask.” Some of their friends might throw a fit but this was just a game to him. “For what it’s worth, I’m having fun. More than I thought I would be.”

“You’ve been a little down today. Got something on your mind.” Impressively, Fujisaki caught onto his melancholy.

A streak of red paints his cheeks. “It’s kinda embarrassing but . . . do you know what day it is?”

“The 5th, I think. It’s hard to keep track.” Fujisaki replied.

“Totally . . . which is why I’m not too bummed out that nobody remembered my birthday.”

“ _Oh_.” Succinct, and so very awkward.

“See! It’s really embarrassing. A-And it’s not like I wanted to _make_ anyone remember. We’re all going through a lot. And even if we weren’t-” Naegi stops, realizing he’d just done his very best impression of a stuttering Fukawa. A deep breath later. “Well, I got my hopes up when you invited me. Deep down, maybe I was expecting balloons . . . haha.”

“S-Sorry. If I’d remembered, I’d have thought of something else.” Fujisaki said guiltily.

That was the last thing he wanted to see. “Don’t sweat it. You saved the day.” Otherwise, he’d be spending his time in bed. “If anything, I feel selfish. While I was thinking about myself, you were thinking of all of us.”

“You’re wrong!” All at once, Fujisaki erupts. “You’ve always got us in your thoughts. That’s why we’ve got to do something for you once in a while!”

“ _We_?”

Fujisaki jolts like Naegi unraveled a great mystery. “Just a figure of speech.” The programmer attends to the clock again, then back to Naegi. “Um . . . happy Birthday, by the way.”

“Thanks.” Naegi smiles brightly.

It’s almost completely gone by his next 2 losses.

They need to play a new game. “Ever heard of Minecraft?”

* * *

“They’re way late.” Enoshima whines loudly, mostly to annoy Asahina and Hagakure who walked just in front of her.

“Think Fujisaki forgot about the surprise party?” Hagakure asked, as they neared Fujisaki’s room.

With a jerk of her shoulders following a depressed sigh, Asahina answers “You’re the only one dumb enough to forget that the most important thing about stalling, is knowing _when to stop_.”

“Don’t snap at me. Enoshima’s the one who messed everything up.”

“Ooops, my bad. We still finished riiight?”

Yeah, after half the day already passed.

“Whatever, the kid managed to distract Naegi anyway.” She sounded oddly mad about that.

Hagakure knocks on Fujisaki’s door, only to push it open. “Living dangerously, Fujisacci.”

He peaks through the opening. A miraculous feat given that wild forest of hair.

“Get in already.” Enoshima pushes him harshly from behind.

“W-Whoa!” Hagakure falls flat on his face.

“Shh!” Asahina orders their silence. The clairvoyant cups his mouth while the fashionista huffed.

The trio quietly (or as Enoshima was able) approach the source of the light snoring. Naegi and Fujisaki were tuckered out on the bed, with Fujisaki’s head perched against the luckster’s shoulder.

Enoshima’s phone flashed three times in a second.

“Geez. Do we wake them up?” It wasn’t like they could let the party go to waste without the guest of honor.

On the other hand, it’d be illegal to wake that sleeping face! Asahina thought while examining Fujisaki. He was like a little animal. Then Naegi . . .

The tanned beauty froze.

 _“What are you two doing?”_ She hisses.

Hagakure and Enoshima crowd over the unsuspecting Naegi, the sharpie in the diva’s hand was a precursor to a crime.

““Nuffin.””

**Author's Note:**

> This story will be a collection of one-shots featuring the THH cast in lockdown related shenanigans. Relationships will be tagged as added but pairings will be kept to a minimum/vague to keep consistency with the (loose) outline I've got in mind. Following those caveats, if you have any scenarios, ideas or character groupings you want to see written out, don't hesitate to send them in.


End file.
